What is credit and how do I get it?
Credit scores are so important to U.S. citizens, yet 14% of the population is “credit invisible”. This means they have never received a line of credit or borrowed money in the past seven years. While most people aren’t interested in working towards a perfect score of 850, there are major disadvantages to having little to no credit on your record. FICO and Vantage are two of the most common scoring [...]
Things to Know Before Investing in Residential Real Estate
Real Estate is a tangible asset that is real property such as land, buildings, improvements, and the right to use and enjoy that land and all of its improvements. There are 3 basic categories or real estate; residential, commercial, and industrial. For now, we will focus on residential as it is the most common form of real estate that individuals invest in. Investing in real estate offers income and capital [...]
Can You Actually Afford to Hire a New Employee?
Hiring new employees is an important part of expanding your business. New people bring new skills and perspectives to your company. The idea of a new hire can be so compelling that you might be tempted to rush the process. However, it is critical for the health of your business and the well-being of your existing employees that you understand all the costs associated with a new hire. Recruiting Costs [...]
What is a Gift Tax?
Since we’re in the season of giving and we so love this season, I thought this would be a great subject to tackle! A gift tax is the tax on money or property that one living person gives to another. Items received upon the death of another are considered separately under the inheritance tax. Many gifts are not subject to taxation because of exemptions given in tax laws. The gift [...]